BC Ferries
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
BC Ferries provides passenger and vehicle ferry services to 45 ports of call across coastal BC, with sailings to and from Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, the Gulf Islands, and Northern BC. BC Ferries Vacations also offers over 100 travel packages, including return ferry and accommodation. When on board BC Ferries, there are plenty of options for food and shopping, along with great wildlife and sightseeing opportunities.
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  • Dee Starr
    Surrey, Canada1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Had a great time in the SeaWest Lounge on the BC Ferry
    This time round, heading home, from Vic trip with the fam, we positioned ourselves in SeaWest Lounge, which we never did before. It is the greatest and reasonably priced at $14. I got myself a free tea and doughnut which are my favs, grandson got an AJ n doughnuts, cheese n crackers. Not to mention, it's the rules to be quiet in here, we were told upon entering. Which is np cuz we're all tired & wanted sleep on The reclining seats are amazing, it's nice, cozy n warm. The staff is very kind & helpful. I think it was well worth $14 esp. with the variety of free yummies oh and private clean bathrooms. Go for it!
    Hello, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are so glad you enjoyed spending your crossing in the Seawest Lounge. It is definitely a great place to grab some snacks and a snooze. The doughnuts are my favorite as well! We look forward to welcoming you onboard again soon! Kind regards, Gavin - Customer Care BC Ferries
    Written January 25, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 19, 2023
  • SonnyFamily123
    Kent, United Kingdom502 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Sailing!!!
    Clean and safe with multiple sailings throughout the day. We used BC Ferries to crossover to Vancouver Island from Horseshoe Bay. The ferry left on time and arrived on time which helped. Theres food on board and lots of seating. Would highly recommend booking passage beforehand as it does get busy..
    Hello, Thank you for taking the time to write your review! We are so happy to hear that you have had such a wonderful experience with us. Our team on board works hard to maintain a clean and safe environment for those travelling. We look forward to having you sail with us again soon! Kind regards, Caleb – Customer Care BC Ferries
    Written July 2, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 30, 2024
  • Steven S
    Argyle, Texas40 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    BC ferry from Vancouver to Victoria
    The ferry was much larger than expected and holds many vehicles. Food on board was fast food style and the lines moved fairly fast. Very comfortable and accommodating. Windy in top deck but less wind on the stern. ( I think that is the back of the boat). A fun experience. If you are with young children you can use Google maps to trace your ferry ride through the islands and watch how the captain navigates international border lines, staying within Canadian waters. Very efficient loading and unloading.
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written July 3, 2024
  • Passport13785282459
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Caring for their guests is a BC Ferries' staff priority!
    Excellent service by Dave at the Swartz Bay (Victoria) Ferry Terminal check-in. We had an erroneous reservation and in no time, he checked us in to the right sailing, made sure we'd have a safe spot to park onboard where we could unload my husband's mobility scooter and how to request a refund for the erroneous rez. Many thanks to Dave and to BC Ferries for a 5-star experience!
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 5, 2024
  • Allen F
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Keith - a breath of fresh air!
    Keith - a breath of fresh air! Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen - Aug 25 After 6 hours of delays me and my girlfriend were exhausted but Keith in the cafeteria was the most amazing host and brought a very special energy to the BC Ferries experience! If it wasn’t for Keith I would give this experience a 1 star review because of the delays and terrible communication issues with the actual ferries.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written August 25, 2024
  • Anna-Marie G
    7 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don't Speak!!!!!!!
    Having been told by my coach driver that the SeaWest lounge was a more relaxing environment I decided to try it out on my return trip from Vancouver Island . On paying my fee, the steward told me where the tea and coffee could be found after which I wandered off to the front of the lounge where I discovered two fellow travellers from our coach party. We struck up a conversation and were debating the relative merits of Vancouver versus Toronto when an American woman appeared out of nowhere and told us to shut up or take our conversation outside. Apparently 'quiet' means 'silent' in Canadian so, not wanting to cause a diplomatic incident, we zipped it. We then spent the rest of the journey watching our fellow passengers contort themselves as they tried to impart information to each other without speaking. Some of the mimes were fantastic and we felt we were in the audience of an episode of give us a clue. Frankly it was more entertaining than our conversation would have been. I did feel sorry for the one woman who was trying to ask her friend if she'd like a coffee. I would have helped out but you know....... Perhaps, in addition to free coffee, they could provide notepads & pens.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written September 14, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles4,513 reviews
Excellent
2,179
Very good
1,440
Average
492
Poor
167
Terrible
235

G6387KVjohng
Maple Ridge, Canada11 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
As a resident I am forced to ride this embarrassment regularly. I can not remember one instance from the past number of years where a boat has been early, or actually on time. If it gets in within 10 min that seems to be the norm and acceptable.
If there is any form of weather it will be late, and there is no Canadian Government standard of passenger care or compensation. Not even an apology... the attitude is it's the weather and it is outside of our control. Fair Enough- nothing you can do about the weather.
But when I arrived 91 secs after the cutoff for paid reservations due to the weather slowing down all the traffic to below the speed limit... well that is not their problem either. Remember this is till 1/2 he before scheduled departure, the boat was not even at the dock yet to unload the other direction.
Pathetic lack of service.
Then after a wait for the next boat I am treated to what can only be described as high school cafeteria food at the prices of a downtown restaurant.
And as we are still underway on the water and it is already past our arrival time I assume we will be another 10 min, so late again... just a terrible example of service.

I completely understand why people choose not to travel to Vancouver Island.

Shame on BC Ferries
Written January 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello there, I am sorry to hear about your frustrations. In an effort to keep our customers informed, we communicate the terms and conditions of a reservation at the time of booking. Please allow me to explain that the vehicle cut-off time is thirty minutes prior to the original scheduled departure time because, with all reserved cars accounted for, the terminal staff can then begin calculating the remaining deck space to accommodate standby traffic. Consistent and accurate information provides us with the ability to perform a quick turn-around for the ship's arrival and departure, and assist with an on-time departure. With regards to weather, safety of our passengers and crew is of the utmost importance to us, and we certainly do not take cancelling sailings lightly. If it is too dangerous to sail, the captain will cancel or delay until it is considered safe to do so. 2019 statistics show that sailings throughout the BC Ferries system departed on time (within 10 minutes of scheduled sailing time) on average about 88.5 per cent of the time, which is impressive considering the large amount of sailings that we have in a calendar year. Vancouver Island is a beautiful place, and we look forward to welcoming you on board again in the future. Kind regards, Josh - Customer Care BC Ferries
Written February 9, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

katie H
Edmonton, Canada85 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
On the way to Tsawwassen we missed our ferry due to being stuck behind an accident in Delta. We had over an hour and half of time between us and our 3PM sailing but ended up getting there 15 minutes before departure so we weren't allowed to board. Fine, not our fault but it happens. We then had to wait for the 6PM sailing in blazing hot 32c heat, with our AC just decided to kick the bucket on this trip. At 6 months pregnant this was so uncomfortable, and it's really not possible to go into the store area because it was swarming with people - not sure how it's covid appropriate and again being pregnant I don't want to take that risk.
The sailing cost us $450 for both routes which made my eyes water!
All of the staff look like they hate their jobs and will avoid eye contact with you at all costs.
On the way back from Swartz bay we made a reservation for 11AM but got there just before 9AM because we did not want to run the risk of missing our ferry again - when we got to the front we were told we had forefeited our reservation because we arrived too early!! I was gobsmacked, damned if you do and damned if you don't! How can you forefeit your reservation by getting there too early?!
On the reservation system it showed all sailings as full until 11AM so that's the one we booked, but then they ended up loading us onto the 9AM anyway! Does it show as full online to scare people into making a reservation just in case, so they can get extra money out of you?
It feels like you can't win with BC ferries.
I'll never come back to island as long as BC ferries operates the way it does, the whole system is frustrating, extortionate and disorganized. No wonder people complain about it so much.
Written August 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello katieT896, I am sorry to hear your recent travels have left you with a bad impression. If you ever find yourself in a situation where there are sailing waits & the weather is uncomfortable please do not hesitate to reach out to a terminal attendant for assistance. We would be happy to help you find a quiet location to sit and rest while you wait for your sailing. With respect to reservations, as per the Terms and Conditions, we ask that booking holders check in 30-60 minutes ahead of their sailing time. reservations redeemed outside of this 30 minute window will not be honoured and you would be placed in stand by traffic. This is due to high volumes of traffic which flow through our terminals on a regular basis - we simply cannot allocate lane space in advance to sailings several hours away. As we do not fully reserve space on sailings between Vancouver & Vancouver Island, there would still be stand by space available on each sailing throughout the day, which is what you were able to access on your 9:00 am departure. I appreciate you taking the time to write us a review and allowing me the opportunity to respond. Kind regards, Miranda - Customer Care
Written September 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

168 Paradise
Vancouver, Canada5 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
If you have a “pop-up” idea to have a Nanaimo trip without the reservation for BC ferries, I advise you “DON’T GO”! We have a horrible experience to wait for almost 6 hours at Horseshoe Bay for boarding to Nanaimo. They only have two and half hour apart for each single schedule . We arrived there at 10am and waited there till 4:30pm for boarding. We spent the whole day just for waiting for boarding, unbelievable and unacceptable, but it is real the schedule now running in the BC ferries nowadays in this modern city. Nanaimo is the second largest port in Vancouver Island , the first port is Victoria, they have schedule going to Victoria for each single hour, but Nanaimo is 2.5 hours apart for each schedule . Even we come back from Nanaimo, the situation is the same, long waiting and also need to spend more than 6 hrs for boarding . We have no alternative to drive two hours from Nanaimo to Swart Bay to catch ferries back to Vancouver, there has more frequent schedule and we just wait one hour for boarding there. So two hours driving time is worth, we spent 4 hours to back to Vancouver is better than we spent more than 6 hours waiting at the Nanaimo ferry terminal . Unbelievable there is still so poor and outdated schedule to travel between Vancouver and Nanaimo, and why BC ferries management has never looked into this matter and make any improvements on its schedule. Just let both the visitors and island residents to suffer a lot on their so poor schedule management.
Written August 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello 168paradise, I'm sorry to hear that your recent travels have left you with a negative impression. For future trips to Nanaimo, please know that there is an alternative route between Duke Point & Tsawwassen which you would be able to use in the event that traveling between Horseshoe Bay & Departure Bay is not a viable option. While reservations are not mandatory, they are recommended, as sailing waits are a definitely possibility, especially in the Summer months. We also recommend traveling at 'off-peak' times if you do not have a reservation pre-booked so as to avoid lengthy waits at the terminal. I appreciate you taking the time to write us a review. Kind regards, Miranda - Customer Care BC Ferries
Written August 16, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Nicki B
Delta, Canada37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
This review is for our 8 night BC Ferries Vacations road trip which had us drive to Prince Rupert and ferry back to Port Hardy. The package included all hotels and 2 ferries. We booked a cabin on the ferry which cost extra. We were quite pleased with all the accommodations (there were 7 different ones). The 18hr sailing on the well equipped Northern Expedition (see pic) ferry through the Inside Passage was great partly because of the scenery and partly because we had a cabin to sleep in.

We saw lots of neat wildlife including Big Horn Sheep, deer, bears, lots of neat birds, whales, sea life and more.

The BC Visitor Centres had great brochures from Super Natural British Colombia for many places we travelled to.

We highly recommend this trip for anyone wanting to explore more remote areas of the province.
Written July 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello nbrocka, Thank you for the five-star review! I am so pleased to hear you enjoyed your BC Ferries Vacation package for your travel between Prince Rupert and Port Hardy. Our Vacations packages are a great way to see the wondrous beauty of British Columbia with the ease of booking your travel and accommodation at the same time. We look forward to welcoming you on board again in the future. Kind regards, Meghan - Customer Care BC Ferries
Written July 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

operalover939
Toronto, Canada2,938 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
Accompanied by a friend, we took the bus and ferry from Vancouver to Victoria two weeks ago. We enjoyed our lunch in the cafeteria and enjoyed the view, especially through Active Pass. Everything was as it should have been, except for one thing: the rule that charges seniors from other provinces the full fare. A lawyer friend has said that this discrimination probably offends against the Charter.
Written March 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

judyth101
Kyoto, Japan39 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
the BC Ferry system has many variations. from the big ferries going from the mainland to various islands and especially Vancouver Island. on these ferries you are able to pay for an advance reservation which is worth the expense...if you get to the ferry terminal in time. then there are the smaller ferries between various islands where there is no reservation system and sometimes one has to wait through one or more sailing to get on.

the area is beautiful and the trips are definitely worth the time and trouble and expense.....and sometimes they are the only way you can get to where you want to be.
Written January 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jo-Anne R
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
My sister & I needed a quick easy plan to go visit our Aunt in a Naniamo health facility.
I booked a BC Ferries package that included hotel accommodations of our choice and the ferry to & from the Van. Lower mainland.
I called to request an upgrade to the room I was about to book online and ask about the pricing comparative to if I had booked all separately.
We were very happy for the convenience of a having the entire itinerary emailed and when we got to the hotel, the room was already upgraded as requested!
The agent made sure we were looked after in advance. The BC Ferries package also price compared very well.
Written March 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear D7238WTjoanner, Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I am very glad to hear that you enjoyed both your gateway to Nanaimo and your interactions with our wonderful staff! We look forward to welcoming you back onboard in the future. Sincerely, Rozhin
Written April 4, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Natalie L
Calgary, Canada2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020 • Couples
Organized and safe we enjoyed our ferry ride. I praise this group of people who's daily goal is to make our journey safe and sound. The unusual circumstances of C-19 adds so many challenges to the entire crew and service provider. Thank you for your excellent service.
Written September 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi 20nataliel, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a five-star review! Our crew strives to provide friendly and efficient service and we are always happy to hear when they are recognized for standing out. It sounds like you had an amazing trip over to Nanaimo, we are so happy to be a part of your travels along the coast of BC. We look forward to welcoming you aboard again in the future. Kind regards, Meghan – Customer Care BC Ferries
Written September 19, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Joey007
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
They are currently managing a difficult situation very well.Finally allowing people to stay in their cars keeping the gift shop closed and adhering to tight regulations. Well done BC ferries!
Written July 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello R8235BO, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a five-star review! I am glad to hear when you travelled with us you were able to remain in your vehicle for the duration of the sailing. In an effort to support self-isolation and physical distancing, we have been in contact with Transport Canada and are pleased to announce that passengers on our major routes are now allowed to stay in their vehicle regardless of the car deck they are loaded on. The measures we are taking at this time are to ensure the health and safety of our passengers, crew and communities we service. We look forward to welcoming you on board again in the future. Kind regards, Meghan - Customer Care BC Ferries
Written July 29, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mdspices
Oliver, Canada3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2020
We lived on the island a few times, so I would say we have experience traveling with BC Ferries, we have shopped in their gift shops, enjoyed Starbucks coffee from the coffee shop, and White Spot in their self serve restaurant.
The last two times we have traveled to the island and back, was during Covid-19, so we stayed in our vehicle all four times. They squeezed us on as the last vehicle the last time we traveled, what a great feeling that was.
Written June 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello mdspices, Thank you for leaving us a five-star review! I am happy to hear that you were able to travel with us safely, including getting the coveted "last car on board" the last time you travelled. We look forward to welcoming you on board again in the future, where you will be able to enjoy the various on board amenities once again. Kind regards, Josh - Customer Care BC Ferries
Written July 28, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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BC Ferries - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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